The use of antibiotics in animal agriculture, in particular poultry production, is coming under increasing pressure from both consumers and government regulatory agencies. This has created a need for effective antibiotic alternatives. The use of effective probiotics or direct-fed microbials (DFM) in animal agriculture may be one such potential alternative. Presently there are two general subsets of bacteria used in probiotic or DFM applications: lactic acid bacteria and Bacillus spp.
While some isolates are proven effective, lactic acid bacteria have the disadvantage that they must be applied through the drinking water. This is because these types of organisms are generally not tolerant of the heat needed to pellet many animal feed diets. Additionally, since these products must be applied through the water, the individual farmer is responsible for applying the product. This often leads to issues of compliance with proper administration guidelines leading to improper application and reduced efficacy of these products.